Bow Fell (Bowfell)
902m (2960ft)
The Southern Fells, The Lake District, Cumbria, England
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You can walk/hike to the top of Bow Fell (Bowfell) by using any of these 6 easy‑to‑follow route maps:
Walk c371 Esk Pike and Bow Fell (Bowfell) from The Old Dungeon Ghyll, Great Langdale
Superb ridge walking with good views of Scafell Pike
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9ml (14.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,459ft (1,054m) |
| Time: | 6.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Great Langdale - Old Dungeon Ghyll - The Cumbria Way - Mickleden Beck - Mickleden (Langdale) - Rossett Beck - Rossett Pike - Angle Tarn (Langdale) - Esk Hause - Esk Pike - Ore Gap - Bow Fell (Bowfell) (North Top) - Bow Fell (Bowfell) - Bowfell Buttress - Cambridge Crag - Flat Crag - Climbers' Traverse (optional) - Three Tarns - Earing Crag - White Stones - The Band - Oxendale - Stool End Farm - The Old Dungeon Ghyll - Great Langdale
Walk c414 Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell (Bowfell) from The Old Dungeon Ghyll, Great Langdale
Superb fell walking on a superb ridge
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9ml (14.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,387ft (1,032m) |
| Time: | 6.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Great Langdale - The Old Dungeon Ghyll - Oxendale - Oxendale Beck - Red Tarn (Langdale) - Great Knott - Crinkle - Crags (South Top) - Bad Step - Crinkle Crags (Long Top) - Crinkle Crags (Gunson Knott) - Shelter Crags - Shelter Crags (North Top) - Three Tarns - Climbers' Traverse (optional) - Flat Crag - Cambridge Crag - Bowfell Buttress - Bow Fell (Bowfell) - Three Tarns - Earing Crag - White Stones - The Band - Stool End Farm - Mickleden Beck - Mickleden - The Old Dungeon Ghyll - Great Langdale
Walk c129 Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell from The Old Dungeon Ghyll, Great Langdale
Superb fell walking on a superb ridge
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.25ml (18km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,604ft (1,098m) |
| Time: | 7.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Great Langdale - The Old Dungeon Ghyll - Stool End Farm - Oxendale - Oxendale Beck - Browney Gill - Red Tarn (Langdale) - Great Knott - Crinkle Crags (South Top) - Crinkle Crags (Long Top) - Crinkle Crags (Gunson Knott) - Shelter Crags - Shelter Crags (North Top) - Three Tarns - Climbers' Traverse (optional) - Flat Crag - Cambridge Crag - Bowfell Buttress - Bow Fell (Bowfell) - Bow Fell (Bowfell) (North Top) - Ore Gap - Angle Tarn (Langdale) - Rossett Pike - Rossett Beck - Mickleden - Mickleden Beck - The Cumbria Way - The Old Dungeon Ghyll - Great Langdale
Walk c425 The Oxendale Fells from The Old Dungeon Ghyll, Great Langdale
High level route with superb views
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.75ml (19km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,680ft (1,426m) |
| Time: | 9 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Great Langdale - The Old Dungeon Ghyll - Wall End Farm - Redacre Gill - Wrynose Fell - Pike of Blisco (Pike O' Blisco) - Red Tarn (Langdale) - Great Knott - Crinkle Crags (South Top) - Crinkle Crags (Long Top) - Crinkle Crags (Gunson Knott) - Shelter Crags - Shelter Crags (North Top) - Three Tarns - Climbers' Traverse (optional) - Flat Crag - Cambridge Crag - Bowfell Buttress - Bow Fell (Bowfell) - Bow Fell (Bowfell) (North Top) - Ore Gap - Angle Tarn (Langdale) - Rossett Pike - Rossett Beck - Mickleden - Mickleden Beck - The Cumbria Way - The Old Dungeon Ghyll - Great Langdale
Walk c194 Scafell Pike from The Old Dungeon Ghyll, Great Langdale
England's Highest Mountain
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 12.5ml (20km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,684ft (1,428m) |
| Time: | 9.25hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Great Langdale - The Old Dungeon Ghyll - The Cumbria Way - Mickleden Beck - Mickleden - Rossett Beck - Rossett Pike - Angle Tarn (Langdale) - Esk Hause - Great End - Ill Crag - Broad Crag - Scafell Pike - Esk Hause - Esk Pike - Ore Gap - Bow Fell (Bowfell) (North Top) - Bow Fell (Bowfell) - Bowfell Buttress - Cambridge Crag - Flat Crag - Climbers' Traverse (optional) - Three Tarns - The Band - Oxendale - Stool End Farm - The Old Dungeon Ghyll - Great Langdale
Walk c110 The Eskdale Skyline from Wha House Farm, Eskdale
Stenuous high level route across England's highest mountains
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 14ml (22.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 6,009ft (1,832m) |
| Time: | 9 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Very Hard) |
Route Summary:
Eskdale - Wha House Farm - Hare Crag - Quagrigg Moss - Slight Side - Sca Fell - Symonds Knott - Mickledore - Scafell Pike - Broad Crag - Ill Crag - Great End - Esk Hause - Esk Pike - Ore Gap - Bow Fell (Bowfell) (North Top) - Bow Fell (Bowfell) - Bowfell Buttress - Cambridge Crag - Flat Crag - Climbers' Traverse (optional) - Three Tarns - Great Moss - Brotherikeld - Eskdale
See Bow Fell (Bowfell) and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
The Southern Fells of The Lake District National Park
Less data - quicker to download
The Whole of The Lake District National Park
More data - might take a little longer to download
See Bow Fell (Bowfell) and the surrounding tops on our unique, downloadable, PDF Peak Bagging Maps:
NB: Whether you print off a copy or download it to your phone, these PDF Peak Baggers' Maps might prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal.
*This version is marked with the walk routes you need to follow to Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 walks.
You can find Bow Fell (Bowfell) & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (pink/magenta covers):
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, scaled, summited, hiked & bagged Bow Fell (Bowfell)
Pete George walked up Bow Fell (Bowfell) on October 13th, 2025 [from/via/route] Wasdale Head [with] Roco [weather] Beautiful cloud inversion on Lingmell, cloud rising on Scafell Pike, rest of day in fog
James Hughes climbed it on April 2nd, 2025 [from/via/route] c371 Esk Pike & Bow Fell from Great Langdale [weather] Beautiful clear skies, blustery on tops, warm in valleys & in sheltered spots. - Epic double walk day from Old Dungeon Ghyll including Rosset Pike, Esk Pike, Bow Fell, Cringle Crags, Cold Pike, Pike of Blisco. Helped down 'Bad Step', unorthodox descent of Cold Pike & ascent of Pike of Blisco. Great views of Sca Fell. Awesome Day.
David Peebles bagged it on June 1st, 2024 [from/via/route] Langdale Campsite Carpark [with] Group [weather] Great Weather. Sun & not t cold or windy.
Christine Shepherd hiked Bow Fell (Bowfell) on April 25th, 2009 [from/via/route] Used walk c371 from Langdale to bag Rossett Pike, Esk Pike & Bowfell which I had bagged before in July 1997 but couldn't remember the exact date. Climbed again on 6.10.2021 using the same walk but in reverse & going up via The Climber's Traverse; superb! Climbed for the 4th time on 2.7.22 after climbing Cold Pike & Crinkle Crags with H4TH in Cold cloudy conditions. The sky cleared as we made our descent. On 25.04.23 I walked route c371 again; adding on Great End & descending next to the Great Slab & following the Climbers' Traverse. I decided that prefer going up this way. [with] On my own [weather] Windy & fine to start with. The storms which had been forecast for the afternoon kicked in while I was coming down the band. - I had studied the mountain forecast & made an early start so I could be off the tops before the storms. Some people heading for Scafell were putting their wet weather gear back in the car as they 'couldn't see any clouds'. They chose to ignore my warnings about the forecast. I guess they got wet!
John Tippins summited on October 25th, 2022 [from/via/route] From the Old Dungeon Ghyll [with] Alone [weather] Dry most of the day, even a bit of sunshine. Some light rain around lunchtime, warm by mid-afteroon. Winds much lighter than recently, but also colder, maybe the fact that I was higher. - At least the second time I've walked this peak but I have no record of the previous date(s).
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on, or of, Bow Fell (Bowfell)
Great Gable (mid-distance right) with The Scafell Massif beyond with Esk Pike (left) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) (far left) from Littledale Edge
The Band (centre) with Crinkle Crags (left) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) (right) beyond from Great Langdale
The Band (left), Bow Fell (Bowfell), Esk Pike (centre) and Pike of Stickle (far right) surround Mickleden from Great Langdale
Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Gunson Knott & Crinkle Crags (South Top) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) from Great Langdale
*Crinkle Crags featuring Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Gunson Knott & Crinkle Crags (South Top) (left), Bow Fell (Bowfell) (centre) and The Langdale Pikes (right) from Great Langdale
From left to right: Slight Side and Sca Fell, Mickledore, Scafell Pike, Ill Crag and Great End, Esk Hause, Esk Pike, Bow Fell (Bowfell), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Cold Pike, Little Stand and finally the shoulder of Grey Friar from the summit of Hard Knott
Bowfell Buttress (left), Great Langdale and The Langdale Pikes (with Harrison Stickle prominent) from the col between Bow Fell (Bowfell) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) (North Top)
Esk Pike (left) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) from Crinkle Crags (Gunson Knott)
*Great Knott, Crinkle Crags (South Top), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Gunson Knott and Bow Fell (Bowfell) from Red Tarn (Langdale)
*Great Knott, Crinckle Crags and Bow Fell (Bowfell) from the Red Tarn (Langdale)
Red Tarn (Langdale) with Great Knott, Shelter Crags (Crinkle Crags) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) beyond
*Bow Fell (Bowfell), Rosett Pike and The Langdale Pikes from Pike of Blisco (Pike o' Blisco)
Sca Fell, Scafell Pike and the dome of Great Gable in the distance beyond Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell (Bowfell) with The Langdale Pikes in the mid distance from Yoke
Crinkle Crags (South Top), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Crinkle Crags (Gunson Knott), Shelter Crags, Shelter Crags, (North Top), The Band , Bow Fell (Bowfell) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) (North Top), Esk Pike, Rossett Pike and The Langdale Pikes including Pike of Stickle (Pike o' Stickle) (left) Loft Crag and Harrison Stickle from Stool End, Great Langdale
The Scafell Massif - Sca Fell, Symonds Knott, Mickledore, Scafell Pike, Ill Crag & Great End - with Bow Fell (Bowfell) in the right foreground from the summit of Bow Fell (Bowfell) (North Top)
*Northernly Panorama from the summit of Hard Knott featuring Sca Fell, Scafell Pike, Esk Pike, Bow Fell (Bowfell), Gunson Knott, Crinkle Crags (Long Top) and Crinkle Crags (South Top)
Crinkle Crags (centre left) with Bow Fell (Bowfell) beyond from near Prison Band below Swirl How
Cambridge Crag and Bowfell Buttress from The Climbers' Traverse below Bow Fell (Bowfell)
Rossett Crag, Black Crags, Mart Crag, Pike of Stickle, The Langdale Pikes, Mickleden and Great Langdale from The Climbers' Traverse below Bow Fell (Bowfell)
Dollywaggon Pike (right) with The Langdale Pikes (mid distance) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) and Scafell Pike (far distance) from St Sunday Crag
Harter Fell (Eskdale) (back), Hard Knott and The Lingcove Valley from Bow Fell (Bowfell) summit cairn
Snow on Esk Pike (left), Bow Fell (Bowfell) and Crinkle Crags (right) from the summit of Scafell Pike
Crinkle Crags (Crinkle Crags (South Top), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), & Gunson Knott), Bow Fell (Bowfell), Esk Pike & The Langdale Pikes from Loughrigg
The Scafell Massif - Slight Side, Sca Fell, Symonds Knott, Mickledore, Scafell Pike and Ill Crag - from the summit of Bow Fell (Bowfell)
Great Knott, Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Gunson Knott, Crinkle Crags (South Top) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) from Red Tarn (Langdale)
*Pike of Blisco (Pike o' Blisco), Crinkle Crags (South Top), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Gunson Knott, Bow Fell (Bowfell), The Scafell Massif, Great Gable and Pike of Stickle (in the foreground) from Harrison Stickle
Great Knott, Shelter Crags (Crinkle Crags) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) from Red Tarn (Langdale)
Easedale Tarn and High Raise (Langdale) with Bow Fell (Bowfell), Gunson Knott, Crinkle Crags (Long Top) and Crinkle Crags (South Top) beyond from Fairfield
Bow Fell (Bowfell) from the Three Tarns col between Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell (Bowfell)
Heading for The Band from the Three Tarns col between Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell (Bowfell)
*Kettle Crag (left), Oxendale, The Band (centre - with Crinkle Crags (Crinkle Crags (South Top), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), & Gunson Knott) (top left) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) (top right), Mickleden and The Langdale Pikes from Side Pike
Bow Fell (Bowfell) (North Top) and Esk Pike from the shelter on Esk Hause
Early evening in Langdale with The Band leading to Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell (Bowfell) from near Stool End Farm
Three Tarns (or two tarns and a puddle) with Shelter Crags, Gunson Knott and Crinkle Crags beyond from Bow Fell (Bowfell)
Looking south west towards Hard Knott, Harter Fell (Eskdale), Lingcove Bridge and Eskdale from the summit of Bow Fell (Bowfell)
Looking down the Great Slab below Bow Fell (Bowfell) to Great Landdale and the Langdale Pikes
Crinkle Crags (South Top), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Crinkle Crags (Gunson Knott), Shelter Crags, Shelter Crags, (North Top), The Band , Bow Fell (Bowfell) and Bow Fell (Bowfell) (North Top) from Stool End, Great Langdale
Rossett Pike and Black Crags from the top of Great Slab below Bow Fell (Bowfell)
*Bow Fell (Bowfell), Crinkle Crags (Long Top), Gunson Knott and Crinkle Crags (South Top) from Mickledore (between Scafell Pike and Sca Fell)
Esk Pike, Bow Fell (Bowfell), Gunson Knott , Crinkle Crags (Long Top) and Crinkle Crags (South Top) from Scafell Pike
*Cinkle Crags, Bow Fell (Bowfell) and the Langdale Pikes from Great Langdale in the early morning
Hard Knott summit cairn - with Esk Pike, Bow Fell (Bowfell) and Crinkle Crags gracing the skyline
Scafell Pike (right) and Sca Fell (left) with Mickledore (centre) from Bow Fell (Bowfell)
. . . see just 10 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on, or of, Bow Fell (Bowfell)
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Bow Fell (Bowfell)
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